autism spectrum disorders marijuana

Louisiana’s Senate Health and Welfare Committee has passed a bill to allow those with autism spectrum disorders to become medical marijuana patients.

(Photo: WVXU.org)

Today’s vote on House Bill 627 by the Senate Health and Welfare Committee comes roughly a month after the measure was passed by the full House of Representatives in a 71 to 21 vote. The bill must now be passed by the full Senate before it can be sent to Governor John Bel Edwards for consideration.

The proposed law would expand the state’s medical marijuana program, approved in 2017, by adding autism spectrum disorders to the list of qualifying conditions.

A proposal that would add autism spectrum disorders to Colorado’s medical cannabis program has been passed through its second reading in the Senate, having already been approved by the full House of Representatives.

House Bill 1263 was filed by State Representative Edith Hooton (D) along with a bipartisan group of three additional lawmakers. The measure was passed by the House on April 12 in a 53 to 11 vote, and today it was approved through its second reading in the Senate. It will now need to receive one final vote in the Senate before it can be sent to Governor John Hickenlooper for consideration.

According to its official summary, “The bill adds autism spectrum disorders to the list of disabling medical conditions that authorize a person to use medical marijuana for his or her condition.”

A Louisiana House committee has voted in favor of a bill to add autism spectrum disorder to the state’s list of qualifying medical marijuana conditions.

The House Health and Welfare Committee voted 9 to 4 last week to pass House Bill 627, sending it towards a vote by the full House of Representatives. The bill would expand the state’s medical marijuana program, approved in 2017, by adding autism spectrum disorders to the list of qualifying conditions.

John Vanchierre, M.D., who heads up the Louisiana chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, argued in opposition to the measure, saying that there isn’t enough studies proving that marijuana can help those with autism.